2015 The Metropolitan Handicaps: Our Ivanhowe Top Weight

Lee & Anthony Freedman’s German import Our Ivanhowe heads The Metropolitan 2015 weights with 58kg for next month’s mile and a half feature at Royal Randwick.

Magic Hurricane leads early 2015 The Metropolitan Handicap betting – weights now out for the October 3 classic at Royal Randwick. Photo: Steve Hart.

One of three elite level classics on the Epsom Handicap Day on October 3 this Sydney Spring Racing Carnival, handicaps for the 92 nominations for the $750,000 Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) were released this week.

A $13 chance in the futures The Metropolitan odds at Ladbrokes.com.au, six-year-old Soldier Hollow stallion Our Ivanhowe will have the task of carrying more weight to victory than any other horse in over 30 years if he makes it all the way to race day.

The most weight carried by a The Metropolitan Handicap winner since 1983 is 57.5kg by Hayai for his second in 1984, and since that 56.5kg by Country Tyrone (2004).

A dual Group 1 winner over seas over 2400m, Our Ivanhowe has had just the one run down under so far when seventh in Adelaide’s Group 3 RA Lee Stakes (1600m) in mid-May that he is tipped to improve on this time in.

He is followed in The Metropolitan weights by the John O’Shea-trained Hartnell (57.5kg) and Chris Waller’s Royal Descent (56.5kg) who are both also nominated for the $1 million Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at the same meeting where they are allocated one kilo less each.

O’Shea prepares Authorized gelding Hartnell who has winning form at The Metropolitan distance in Sydney at elite level thanks to his success in the Group 1 The BMW (2400m) back in late March.

His return was a fourth in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) on September 5 and his current price in all-in The Metropolitan betting is $11 to hand O’Shea his first Metropolitan win since Bedouin (2003).

Royal Descent meanwhile is at $21 as the Waller-trained Redoute’s Choice mare is more like to stick to the mile in the Epsom at the meeting, Waller boasting two The Metropolitan wins including Opinion (2014) last spring.

Currently sitting top of The Metropolitan Handicap odds is Magic Hurricane ($9) who is also trained by O’Shea for Godolphin, the six-year-old son of Hurricane Run last seen winning the Listed Premier’s Cup (1800m) at Rosehill.

The import is entered to run again this Saturday in Randwick’s Group 2 Hill Stakes (2000m) or alternatively he could run on Friday in the $175,000 Group 3 Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m) that has produced two Epsom Handicap winners in the past four years.

Also high up the Epsom markets for Waller are last start Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes winner Silverball ($10) and The BMW third placegetter Beaten Up ($11) who are allocated 53kg and 54.5kg respectively.

Others in The Metropolitan mix at around the same early price include ATC Derby runner-up Hauraki ($11) getting in on a 52kg lightweight, stablemate Complacent ($13) with 55.5kg and sitting equal fourth in the ballot with Waller’s Sydney Cup runner-up Who Shot Thebarman, the John Thomspon-trained French import Orbec ($13)with 52kg and Gai Waterhouse-trained seven-year-old The Offer ($13) with 55kg.

Check out the full The Metropolitan 2015 weights and latest ballot order below, the final field due out along with the barrier draw on the Tuesday before the race.

Before then check out the juicy all-in prices on offer for the upcoming Group 1s in Sydney online now at Ladbrokes.com.au where your first deposit will also be matched by the house dollar for dollar up to $500 with use of the code SPRINGBONUS!

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